I will kill you
by xHopeEstheimx
Summary: Hope is sick, and Lightning is forced to take care of him, at her place. Her skills at 'nursing' a sick person could use a bit of experience. Lightning x Hope.


"You're...a pain in the ass." Lightning looked away, her arms folded as she let out a sigh. Hope was sick.

"Sorry." he tried to smile, but his fever wasn't getting any better.

"If you have the energy to apologize, focus it on getting better. You're burning up. And. If I get sick, I will kill you. Got it?" she didn't want to seem too affectionate or 'attached' to the kid, like Snow had teased her to be. It earned him a roundhouse to the face.

She smirked at the memory. Hope nodded lightly, "You look like you're plotting my death. Or raping me." he added, with a childish grin.

"Again. Focus on getting better. Are you hungry?" she'd said it fast. It was getting late, around dinner time.

"A little." he said, somewhat sleepily. His eyes were beginning to shut, little by little.

"Perhaps you should rest. You seem tired. And getting warmer by the second." she studied the boy, leaning down, frowning at his face. He was definitely warm, she touched his forehead. Hot to the touch. Something to cool him down with. Cloths.

Were there any here? The home was abandoned, and what was left- of a semblance, toward a person actually inhabiting the residence was a whole different matter. Subtle hints that a person once resided in the place, but even then. "Uh..Light?" Hope asked.

Lightning's head flicked in his direction "Something you wanted?" she asked.

"Your hand...is still..on my head." he explained, as he pointed to it.

"Why is it you seem to be getting warmer?" she asked, removing her hand as she leaned down once again. Her face inches from his own. His cheeks were getting hotter. "You're embarrassed? Now, of all times? You're in my home, on my bed."

"I know." Hope looked away from a moment, and back at her.

"So what's the problem? Don't tell me you're lusting after me, now?" a smart-ass smile, when he didn't deny it. She frowned. "Am I going to have to beat you, while you're near-dying from this fever alone?" she asked.

"No." he shook his head, grimacing at his headache.

"Why can't you just heal with magic? Some. 'Get well' spell or something?"

"Doesn't work that way."

"Apparently not." she sighed, walking into the kitchen. Getting a cloth, with cold water. Squeezing out the rag, another sigh. She folded it, placing it on Hope's head. It didn't seem to have any real effect, but she'd wait and see.

"Thanks." he murmured, still tired.

"Maybe I should cook something to eat." Lightning piped up, she had no task to do and was bored.

"No! I mean. I'm not hungry right now." Hope didn't _eagerly _want to try her food.

"A few moments ago, you said you were." Lightning raised a brow, as she stared at him. Daring him to lie to her.

"I feel tired, now. Actually." he explained.

"Then go to sleep." Lightning turned on her heels, walking to the doorway.

"Lay with me?" he asked.

"Why do I get the feeling this is going to be uncomfortable and annoying?" why she even pondered doing it, was beyond her.

"Please?" he asked.

"Fine. Just until you go to sleep. I want something to eat." she plopped on the bed beside him, "Get me sick. And die." she repeated.

Hope nodded, not saying another word as he turned over to her. His head on her chest, one arm around her waist. Lightning resisted the urge to kill the boy. His breathing was terrible, he was burning hot. And wanted a companion, even if it was her. Against her will.

Sure enough, he fell asleep fast. But his breathing was still atrocious, and it worried her. It was a simple virus, but she'd made a promise. To keep him safe, and here he was. Her stomach gurgled, but she continued to be at his side.

Curbing her hunger wasn't hard to do. Hell, even she wasn't in the mood for her cooking. "Brat." she snorted, he'd lied about not being hungry, just so he didn't have to 'suffer' through her cooking. Carefully, she climbed out of the bed.

His head fell limp onto the pillow, she stood still for a moment, he continued sot sleep. Good. "The place is getting dirty." she commented, with a frown. It wasn't like her to let it get like this, but after such a 'grand' adventure. It stood to reason the place would be dirty.

Grabbing a few more cloths, she set out to work. Cleaning up every last inch of the place. Sighing when it was done, one last inevitable thing. Cooking. A pot, filled with water. Various vegetables. Chicken. Seasonings. How could she mess it up?

Chopping, more like _hacking_. "I'm not used to wielding it, as a non-weapon." she tried to reassure herself. A small breath, slowly she let the blade fall. Slicing the celery. To her amazement, it didn't look butchered and half-dead. Tossing it in the pot.

Carrots. Onions. Potatoes. Chicken breast. Any other type of vegetable she thought would suit it well. Seasonings. Salt? Maybe a little. Soya sauce? No. Pepper? Well, yeah. It didn't _smell _or look _terrible _in the end. But even then, it was by her standard.

"If he doesn't want to eat it, I'll force feed it down his throat." she smiled, reassuring herself. Ladling it into a bowl, putting that on a small plate. A spoon. Bun. Glass of water, because obviously he needed something other than just broth to drink.

Careful not to spill a single drop, as she walked back into the room. Placing all the items beside him, he'd had a decent nap. "Hope?" she tried the 'gentle' approach, by tapping him. To her immediate annoyance he didn't wake up.

She shook him a bit vigorously.

"Woah? Uh. What's up, Light?" he asked, slightly on edge as his eyes shot open. He felt crappy after a few moments, dizzy. "What's that smell?"

Lightning's eyes narrowed. "I made you dinner." his tone didn't make it immediately clear whether he liked the scent or not, due to his stuffy nose.

"Did you? Thanks." he smiled, swallowing. If he didn't eat it, he'd die. If he ate it, he'd very likely die. It seemed every option when it came to Lightning, was dying. Snow warned him about her cooking, and how he'd 'picked the right' sister.

Lightning was furious, and nearly killed him from that remark alone. "You don't want to try it, at least?" she asked.

"I'll...try it." he tried to sit up, failing miserably. "Could you..maybe..?"

"What?" Lightning asked, not putting two and two together.

"Feed it to me?" he asked.

"Absolutely not." she folded her arms.

"Please?" he asked, cheeks flush. Somewhat whiny tone, childish smile as he waited.

"Fine." she caved whenever he did that. Why, she didn't know. "I blame Snow." she commented, grabbing the bowl.

"For what?" he asked, curiously. It looked scalding hot, and Lightning didn't seem the type to cool it off, first.

"This very situation. Don't worry about it." she noticed his hesitation to eat. "What now?"

"It um...looks really...hot." he explained. "Could you blow on it, for me?"

Lightning sighed, she blew on the small amount within the spoon. It sprayed, all over Hope and the bed. She mentally kicked herself. "Bath?" she asked.

"Carry me?" he couldn't walk, and he'd fall if he tried.

"You're needy, and whiny. You know that, right?" she asked, picking him up with little to no effort. Into the bathroom, she placed him on the toilet, so he could sit. Drawing the bath. It was 'warm' to her standards. "It shouldn't be hot, should it?"

"No." Hope shook his head. He could see the steam, "That looks...scalding, Light."

"Seems fine to me." Lightning put her hand in the water, it was warm. Not hot.

"Yes, but you're...not really human when it comes to these kinds of things."

"What am I? Some sub-species?" she frowned. Redoing it, in a cold form. "Freezing." she frowned.

If she thought it was cold- it must be hypothermia inducing. Or. So he thought. He fumbled with his clothing. Looking to her, once again.

"Oh no. Don't you _dare _put those thoughts into your head, let alone speak them!" Lightning knew what he meant. She frowned.

"Don't look!" Hope said, his mind was fuzzy. But the important things still mattered. He didn't want Lightning to see him naked.

Lightning rolled her eyes, "It's nothing I probably won't see again, you know?"

_Wont see again. _Her words echoed in his mind, "You don't want to?" he asked, with a pout.

"You're too young for me, grow taller than me. And. Then we'll give it a shot, after a few years. Maybe." Lightning sighed, he seemed to grow whinier by the second.

"Fine." he nodded, his fever was making him say odd things. He lifted his arms up, as she took off his shirt. Moving onto his pants, she did as he asked. Averting her eyes, once again she picked him up.

"Watch where your hands are!" he reminded her.

"Huh? Oh. Right. Sorry." Lightning placed him in the tub.

Hope exhaled in delight, the cool water made him feel better. His skin color was reverting back to normal, as opposed to the red from his body heat. He smiled, keeping his eyes shut.

"Feel better?" Lightning asked.

Hope nodded, "A bit. Thank you." he smiled, not opening his eyes.

"I need to wash your clothes, and the sheets. You gonna be okay, if I leave you here for a little while?" she asked, showing a bit of concern.

"I'll be fine, Light. Thanks." he nodded to her, a bright smile.

"If you can muster up the energy to do that-" she began scolding him, again.

"Focus it on getting better. Promise!"

Lightning nodded, a hint of a smile on her face. She grabbed his clothes, and went to her room. Grabbing the sheets. Pillow cases. Blanket. Washing all of them, a small sigh. When did she go from 'mentor' to 'babysitter' for the sick?

Maybe it was part of the job, but she wasn't his mother. Well, clearly not. He'd shown interest in her, beyond just a simple friendship. It's not that it hadn't happened before, but. He seemed different than the pigs she dealt with, hitting on her.

The way they tried to touch her body, earned a severe beating. Hope, too, had touched her 'inappropriately' just in her own bedroom. But he was sick, and not thinking clearly. It wasn't like she was going to hold it against him, not right now atleast.

She went to the hallway closet, grabbing a new set of sheets, pillow cases, and a blanket. Putting on the sheets, she remembered doing this with Serah. The laughter that ensued, the image flickered. For a moment, as Serah was replaced by Hope.

Her smile didn't waver, as it was Hope in Serah's stead. "Why do you intrude upon my world?" she asked, he only continued to smile and help her. Once she snapped out of it, the bed was made. "Am I going insane?" plenty would argue she was insane.

Or a sociopath. "Oh shit." she'd totally forgotten about Hope. "Glad to see you're not drowning in the water, yet." he looked rather comfortable in her bathtub.

Hope smiled, "I feel alot better!" he cheered.

"Good, the faster you get better. The faster you can get out of my house." Lightning nodded.

Hope's smile fell, "I'm not _that _bad, am I?" he asked.

"I had to cook. Clean. Pick you up. Undress you. Bathe you. Deal with you touching my body inappropriately. Because you wished to 'lay with me'. So. Yes, you're still a pain. Are you finished, now?"

Hope nodded, "Can you.."

"Let me guess. You want me to dry you off while 'not looking' at you?" Lightning frowned.

"No." he shook his head, "Give me some privacy?" he asked.

"Oh." Lightning blinked, "Yeah. Sure. Knock yourself out. Not literally." she added, walking out and shutting the door. She sat on the couch, and waited.

"Woah." Hope felt dizzy, he pulled out the plug. And dried himself off, his balance was terrible. Almost slipping, opening the door. "Uh.. Light?" he asked, poking his head out.

"Why are you naked?" Lightning frowned. She'd kill him if he flashed her.

"My uh..clothes." Hope bit his lip.

"They're getting wash-" she smacked herself. "Not clean. Fine. You may come out here like that. Just. Don't be gross."

Hope reluctantly stepped out, a blush on his face. "Don't..look."

"I've seen it before. Believe me. You're 14. I don't have time to be checking you out." Lightning grabbed his hand, helping him back to the bedroom. "Try it." she folded her arms, as he got comfortable under the blanket.

"Right now?" he asked, still afraid of her cooking.

Lightning stuck the spoon in his mouth.

"It's...good." he commented, with surprise etched onto his face.

"Really?" Lightning asked, she was about ready to punch him if he mocked her cooking.

"Yep!" he gave her a thumbs up.

"Then eat it. And go to sleep. It's late. I know I am." Lightning sat beside him, kicking off her boots. Taking off her armor.

Hope finished it in no time, he didn't feel tired. But Lightning was, and he wouldn't complain. "Okay." he nodded, laying back. Yawning, he soon fell asleep.

Lightning stared at him for a moment. "You didn't even try to stare at my body." it was pleasant. She wasn't naked, but even then. A male would observe her, or so she thought. "This doesn't count, I guess. But I'll hold it over your head, in the future."

She leaned down and kissed him quickly, a smirk as she lay back down. "Don't try to 'first kiss' me. Because officially, it happened against your will." her eyes shut, and she fell asleep.

* * *

"Kill you. I _will _kill you." Lightning frowned, her head hurt. Her skin was warm. Under the blankets was 'too hot' on top of them was 'too cold' and no happy medium could be found. Her voice sounded strange, and deep. Clearly she'd gotten his cold.

"It wasn't my fault! Honest!" Hope gave a sheepish smile, as he scratched the back of his head.

"Then whose is it!?" Lightning wanted to kill him, but her energy was depleted. He was lucky.

"I don't know. Did you..eat out of the bowl I had? The spoon? Touch anything I touched?" Hope asked.

It hit her. She looked away. Not answering.

"Did you!?" he was surprised.

"Not exactly. Nevermind. Looks like, you're my slave for the day. Congratulations."

"Fun..." Hope sighed softly.


End file.
